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84 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666 July the twentieth and twenty fourth
Summary
Passages from the diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries : A.D. 1635-A.D. 1699"
84 DIARY OF PATRICK GORDON. [1666
July the twentieth and twenty fourth, and August twenty fourth and twenty
sixth.
Writt to my wyfe and mother in law, to Doctor Collins, Mr. Biyan, and
to Almais Ivanowitsch per post. Writt to my father per Mr. Skeine.
Keceived a letter from my father, dated Achluichries, the twentieth of
October, and another from Generall Dalyell, dated the twenty third of Oc-
tober, from Lieth ; from my brother John, dated Westertowne, the fifteenth
of October ; from my unkle, dated Bomatuthil, October the fifteenth.
Eeceived letters from my ffriends in Mosko per post, in an enclosed from
Collonell Bockhoven.
Writt to my father, unkle, and the Laird of Pitfodells, with that from
his son Pawl.
Writt to my wyfe and ffriends in Eussia, and to Collonell von Bock-
hoven. My cousin, Collonell Patrick Gordon, commonly called Steelhand,
came to London, with another Bohemian collonell with him. Mr. Golt
came. I received my truukes and other baggage which I left at Bruges.
Had Madam Hebden and her daughters at the New Exchange, and
bought for them gloves, etc., for two pounds ten shillings.
Eeceived letters from Doctor Collins, dated Mosko, the twenty fifth of
September ; from Mr. Bryan, dated the twenty seventh ; from my wyfe and
mother in law, whereby I had notice of the birth of a Prince called
John.
I sent a memoriall into the Secretary office concerning my business, and
was promised aue answer.
Eeceived a letter from my cousin, Mr. Thomas Gordon, dated Edin-
burgh, the twelfth of November, with one from my father.
Writt to the generalls * and other friends in Scotland. I had the third
conference with the Lord Chancellor and the Secretary of State, where wee
debated the business I came for, as also that of the priviledges very sharply.
I did writt to my father, unkle, brother, and ffriends in Scotland, sending
four small wipps or rings for tokens.
I sent Charles to sollicite about a letter to the King of Polland for his
fathers releasement.t
* [DalycU and Drummond.] prisoner by the Poles in the year 1661, at a
t [Colonel Philipp Albert von Borkhoven, battle in the neighbourhood of Polotzk, and
Gordon's father-in-law. He had been made had not yet recovered his liberty.]
Gordon was brought up and remained a lifelong Roman Catholic, at a time when the Church was being persecuted in Scotland. At age of fifteen, he entered the Jesuit college at Braunsberg, East Prussia, then part of Poland. In 1661, after many years experiences as a soldier of fortune, he joined the Russian army under Tsar Aleksei I, and in 1665 was sent on a special mission to England. After his return, he distinguished himself in several wars against the Turks and Tatars in southern Russia. In recognition of his service he was promoted to major-general in 1678, was appointed to the high command at Kiev in 1679, and in 1683 was made lieutenant-general. In 1687 and 1689 he took part in expeditions against the Tatars in the Crimea, being made a full general. Later in 1689, a revolution broke out in Moscow, and with the troops under his command, Gordon virtually decided events in favor of Peter the Great against the Regent, Tsarevna Sophia Alekseyevna. Consequently, he was for the remainder of his life in high favor with the Tsar, who confided to him the command of his capital during his absence from Russia. In 1696, Gordon's design of a "moveable rampart" played a key role in helping the Russians take Azov. One of Gordon's convinced the Tsars to establish the first Roman Catholic church and school in Muscovy, of which he remained the main benefactor and headed the Catholic community in Russia until his death. For his services his second son James, brigadier of the Russian army, was created Count of the Holy Roman Empire in 1701. At the end of his life the Tsar, who had visited Gordon frequently during his illness, was with him when he died, and with his own hands closed his eyes. General Gordon left behind him a uniquely detailed diary of his life and times, written in English. This is preserved in manuscript in the Russian State Military Archive in Moscow. Passages from the Diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries (1635–1699) was printed, under the editorship of Joseph Robertson, for the Spalding Club, at Aberdeen, Scotland, 1859.
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